Mop cleaning apparatus



March 26, 193-5.

B. 1.. BAKER MOP CLEfxNING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1955 1017 I Inventor: 305M Patented Mar. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,995,443 MOP cLEAivmG APPARATUS Burton L. Baker, Allston, Mass. Application October 1a, 1933, Serial No. 694,123

8 Claims. (01.15-1421 My invention relates to apparatus for use in cleaning dust mops and the like and more especially to a mop cleaning attachment for household vacuum cleaners.

The object of this invention is to provide simple, inexpensive and efljicient means for use in cleaning dust mops and the like. It is also an object of this invention'to provide an inexpensive and efficient mop cleaning attachment for vacuum cleaners.

To these ends I have .provided a mop cleaning attachment for vacuum cleaners, said attachment having the peculiar features of construction andmode of operation set forth in the follow- 'ing description, the several novel features of the invention being particularly pointed out and defined in the claims at the close thereof.

In the accomp yin drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner having applied thereto a mop cleaning attachment constructed in accordance with my invention. V

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the attachmentshowing a portion of the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner associated therewith.

-Figure 3 is a plan view of the base structure hereinafter described.

Figure 4 is aside elevation of the attachment in'collapsed condition.

The embodiment of my invention herein illustrated comprises an attachment A for a vacuum cleaner B of ordinary construction.

The attachment A comprises a base board formed upon its top with a groove 11 that is parallel with one side of the base board 10 and disposed closely adjacent said side. 'I'hegroove 11 is closed at its opposite ends by end walls 12, 12. Secured in position upon the top of the base board 10 is a woven wire fabric 13 of coarse mesh which is parallel with the top surface of the baseboard. This piece of woven wire fabric is supported in a somewhat elevated position by wire staples 14 on which itv rests. "Other wire staples 15 driven through the woven wire fabric into base board 10 secure said fabric in position upon the staples 14.

The baseboard 10 is fitted within the lower end of a tubular textile fabric housing structure 16 and the lower marginal portion of said textile fabric housing 16 is fastened to the opposite ends and back of the baseboard 10 by means of nails or tacks 17. The lower end of the front side or wall of the fabric housing 16 is formed with a tubular hem 18 within which is arrangeda coiled spring 19 whose opposite ends extend beyond the the textile fabric housing 16 is made with a tubupocket 18 and are fastened as at 19a to the base board. This construction provides an elastic entrance for the nozzle 20 of the vacuum cleaner B. The nozzle 20 is passed through the entrance by stretching the spring 19 to admit said nozzle 5 and therefore said spring serves to hold the nozzle securely in position upon the top of the base board 10 with its port 21 directly above and.communieating with the channel or groove 11. At its top lar hem 22 within-which is pocketed a wire frame 23 which extends entirely around the upper end of the tubular fabric housing 16 so as to maintain said upper end distended and open for the admission of air while the device is in use. The lower ends of two cords or cables 24 are fastened. to opposite sides of the wire frame 23 while the upper ends of said cords or cables 24 are fastened to one end of a coiled metal wire spring 25. The opposite end of this spring 25 is engaged with a hook 26 provided upon the handle 27 of the vacuum cleaner B. In order to engage the upper end of spring 25 with hook 26 it is necessary to stretch said spring so that when my new attachment is in position the textile fabric housing 16 is held taut in an upstanding position. so that a mop head, indicated by dotted lines at-2 can be lowered into the housing 16.

When the vacuum cleaner Bis in operation it acts to exhaust the air from the space below the woven metal wire fabric 13 with the result that air is forced in at the top of the housing 16 and flows downwardly through the metal woven wire 13 and the mop head 28 to the groove 11 and thence into the nozzle 20 of the vacuum cleaner.

It will therefore be clear that'if the mop is inserted within the housing 16 while the vacuum cleaner is in operation and moved about on the woven wire fabric 13, the dust and dirt. carried by the mop will be dislodged and carried off through the nozzle 20 of the vacuum cleaner.

The nozzle 20 is properly positioned within the housing 16 through its engagement with one side of the woven wire fabric .13 which therefore serves as a stop to limit the'inward movement of the cleaner nozzle 26.

When the nozzle 20 is in position upon the top side of base board 10 the coiled wire spring 19 is under suflicient tension or stress to hold the nozzle within the entrance opening of the housin 16.

When the upper end of the coiled spring 25 is detached from hook 26 and nozzle 20 is removed from the lower end of the housing 16 the-latter can be collapsed and folded downwardly on to'55 the base board 10 as shown in Fig. 4 which is an advantage in storing or shipping the attachment.

' As will be clear from the above description the extended upstanding position so that the head of the mop can be conveniently inserted and removed.

What I claim is:

' 1. A device of the character described comprising a collapsible sack adapted to receive within it the head of a mop, said sack including a flexible tubular body member of sheet material and a stiff base board to the marginal portion of which one end of said tubular body member is fastened, said sack being made adjacent to its bottom with a side entrance for the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner apparatus and said baseboard beingmade upon its top side with a channel affording communication between said nozzle and the interior of said sack; means for holding said nozzle in position within said entrance and against the top of said base board, and means for holding said flexible tubular body member in extended upstanding condition while the device is in use.

2. A device of the character described comprising a collapsible sack adapted to receive within it the head of a mop, said sack including a flexible tubular body member of sheet material and a stiif base board to the marginal portion of which one end of said tubular body member is fastened so as to provide a side entrance for the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner apparatus and said baseboard being constructed upon its top side to afford communication between said nozzle and the interior of said sack; means for holding said nozzle in.

position within said entrance, and means for holding said flexible tubular member in extended upstanding condition while the device is in use.

3. A device of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for holding said nozzle in position within said entrance consists of an elastic member having its opposite ends fastened to said base board at opposite sides of said entrance, said elastic member being adapted to be stretched across the top of said nozzle in such manner as to hold the latter against the top of said base board.

4. A device of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for holding said nozzle in position within said entrance consists of an elastic member having its opposite ends fastened to said baseboard at opposite sides of said entrance, said elastic member extending through a tubular hem provided on said flexible tubular body member adjacent to said'entrance.

5. A device of the character described comprising a collapsible sack adapted to receive within it the head of a mop, said sack including a flexible tubular body member of textile fabric and a stiff base board to the marginal portion of which one end of said tubular body member is fastened so as to provide a side entrance for the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner apparatus said baseboard being 'constructed upon its top side with a channel aifording communication betweensaid nozzle and the interior of said sack; means for holding said nozzlein position within said entrance, and means for connecting the opposite end of said sack with the upper part of said apparatus so that said sack is maintained thereby in an upstanding extended condition while the device is in use.

6. A device of the character described comprising a collapsible sack adapted to receive within it the head of a mop, said sack including a-flexible tubular body member of textile fabric made at one end with a tubular hem extending entirely around said end, a wire member inclosed within said tubular hem for holding said end distended,

and a stiff base board to the marginal portion of which the opposite end of said tubular .body member is fastened so as to provide a side entrance for the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner apparatus said baseboard being constructed upon its top side with a channel affording communication between said nozzle and the interior of said sack; means for holding said nozzle in position within said entrance, and means for holding said flexible tubular body member in extended upstanding condition while the device is in use.-

7. A device of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 1 and including also a stiff wovenvwire fabric within said sack and adjacent to said base board, said woven-wire fabric being fastened to said base board in spaced apart parallel relation thereto.

8. A device of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 5 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises an elastic member for holding said flexible tubular bodv member taut, said elastic member being under tension while said connecting means is in use.

BURTON L. BAKER. 

